The second album from the musical project of Zooey Deschanel (along with respected folk musician Matt 'M' Ward) is as equally sweet as its predecessor. Is it just a tad too samey, though?

It shouldn't have worked the first time around; all too often, we've seen Hollywood stars, high on fame, believing that they can turn their hand to the world of music and sell millions of copies of the (usually) self-indulgent outcome (hi, Scarlett Johansson).

The difference between Zooey Deschanel and someone like Johansson, however, is that Deschanel can actually sing. When sheteamed up with singer-songwriter M. Ward to form She & Him in 2008, the resultant album ('Volume One') knocked the proverbial socks off anyone fortunate enough to hear it. Here was an album of simplicity and beauty, delivered mostly via the actress's high-pitched songbird warble and Ward's warm, confident musicianship.

The same could be said of its follow-up, 'Volume Two'. Truthfully, there hasn't been much progression in Deschanel's writing over the past two years, but when the songs are as sweetly sung and played as these are, that's no huge deal. 'Thieves' is a strong opener, a gorgeously-produced tune that rolls and sparkles in a warm haze of guitar before reaching a gentle crescendo; it's followed by standout track 'In the Sun', one of several songs that maintain a country-style twang with a punchy, singalong chorus. 'Lingering Still' evokes similar imagery of rolling down a dusty Alabama road in a pickup truck - but with an additional girl group vibe - while 'Don't Look Back' has all the hallmarks of a Carole King standard.

The only fault, as such, with 'Volume Two', is that there's little divergence in style, causing a gradual loss of interest as it progresses. Their debut established She & Him as a talented duo that very possibly had a bright future ahead of them – but instead of becoming more radiant, their star continues to glow at the same steady pace. And that's OK, too - but 'Volume Three' will need to be quite something.